Prolific Patent Attorney Fumbles California Sanctions Hearing

As Texas patent attorney Bill Ramey fumbled through his notes and laptop, searching for an explanation over why he’d tried cases in California for seven years without a license, attorneys and even members of the local clerk’s office whispered and stifled laughter.

Ramey and two of his colleagues were grilled by Magistrate Judge Peter Kang, who demanded an explanation for why Ramey masterminded more than 50 patent cases in California since 2017 without a license to practice there, while often using his colleague, Susan Kalra, as a local proxy.

“Do you know of any California ethics opinions that allow you ...